Is Clay a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Clay is commonly used as a Boy name.

It’s currently ranked #474 in the U.S. Recent trend: Rising.

Clay Boy

Popularity: #474 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Origin(s)

Pronunciationklay / /kleɪ/

English; Latin

Meaning

English: clay; Latin: clay, earth

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Clay is derived from the Old English word 'claeg,' meaning 'clay' or 'mortar.' It has been used as a given name since the 19th century. In some contexts, it may also refer to a person who works with clay, such as a potter. The name has gained popularity in the United States and is often associated with strength and resilience.

Trend Summary

The name Clay has seen a moderate level of popularity in the United States, particularly in the late 20th century.

Variants

Claye

International Variants

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Famous people named Clay

Clay Aiken is an American singer and television personality known for his appearance on 'American Idol.'.

Clay Matthews is a former American football linebacker who played in the NFL.

Clay Walker is an American country music singer known for his hit songs in the 1990s.

Fictional characters named Clay

Clay Jensen is a character in the Netflix series '13 Reasons Why,' known for his role in uncovering the story behind a classmate's suicide.

Sibling Suggestions

Cade Cory Clint Cameron Colin Cyrus

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Clay was first seen in the United States in 1880. Clay has ranked as high as #550 nationally, which occurred in 1960, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. In the past 5 years the name Clay has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Clay (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
TX	53	11%
CA	33	7%
VA	23	5%
FL	22	4%
OH	20	4%
NC	19	4%
TN	19	4%
MN	18	4%
IL	16	3%
MO	16	3%
IN	16	3%
KY	16	3%
IA	15	3%
UT	14	3%
GA	13	3%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1880	18
1881	24
1882	17
1883	25
1884	32
1885	18
1886	28
1887	23
1888	31
1889	29
1890	32
1891	11
1892	23
1893	33
1894	42
1895	33
1896	30
1897	25
1898	40
1899	23
1900	41
1901	21
1902	33
1903	27
1904	32
1905	34
1906	36
1907	31
1908	33
1909	35
1910	28
1911	52
1912	75
1913	89
1914	107
1915	132
1916	133
1917	125
1918	146
1919	128
1920	147
1921	160
1922	189
1923	134
1924	151
1925	144
1926	131
1927	155
1928	135
1929	107
1930	131
1931	117
1932	123
1933	114
1934	117
1935	110
1936	124
1937	117
1938	113
1939	122
1940	128
1941	106
1942	123
1943	125
1944	110
1945	97
1946	114
1947	145
1948	171
1949	176
1950	180
1951	225
1952	267
1953	270
1954	340
1955	426
1956	485
1957	594
1958	723
1959	826
1960	904
1961	900
1962	705
1963	656
1964	571
1965	440
1966	360
1967	361
1968	389
1969	432
1970	456
1971	520
1972	439
1973	472
1974	422
1975	454
1976	435
1977	421
1978	369
1979	345
1980	350
1981	333
1982	345
1983	373
1984	382
1985	416
1986	412
1987	466
1988	488
1989	451
1990	494
1991	465
1992	433
1993	494
1994	689
1995	714
1996	648
1997	643
1998	623
1999	603
2000	641
2001	573
2002	597
2003	519
2004	383
2005	330
2006	309
2007	281
2008	250
2009	213
2010	272
2011	316
2012	322
2013	321
2014	269
2015	342
2016	338
2017	355
2018	353
2019	376
2020	417
2021	451
2022	451
2023	492
2024	545